This simple-looking math equation has been causing a massive debate on social media! It looks exactly like a problem you would have easily solved in grade school, but it is tricking a surprising number of adults today.
The image clearly warns that the answer is not 25, and asks you to solve: 18 − 4 × 2 + 7.
What makes this puzzle so tricky is that we naturally want to read and solve it straight from left to right. If you do that, you might subtract 4 from 18 to get 14, then multiply by 2 to get 28, and quickly find yourself completely off track!
To get the right answer, you have to remember the golden rule of math: the order of operations. This rule states that multiplication and division must always be completed before addition and subtraction.
So, your very first step is to tackle the multiplication section in the middle of the equation. 4 × 2 gives you 8.
When you put that number back into the problem, the equation becomes incredibly easy: 18 − 8 + 7.
Now, you can just add and subtract from left to right. 18 minus 8 gives you 10, and adding the final 7 brings you directly to your solution.
Answer: 17.
